Selective Memory
Eels Lyrics


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If I lay my head down
I will see you in my dream
Wearing that polka dot dress
And sitting by the stream
Leaning in to hear you
You will whisper in my ear
And everything I need to know
I finally hear

I wish I could remember
But my selective memory
Won't let me

When I was a baby we would
Go out to the park
And sit out in the fountain
Splashing 'round until it's dark
The days go on forever
When you only know that much
And everything you need to know
Is answered with one touch

I wish I could remember




But my selective memory
Won't let me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Eels' song Selective Memory reflect on the fleeting nature of memories and the way memories can be tricky and unreliable. The song opens with the singer imagining seeing someone he misses when he lays his head down and dreams. He sees that person once again, wearing a polka dot dress and sitting beside a stream. He leans in to listen to her, and she whispers everything he needs to know. The next verse takes us back in time to when the singer was a baby, sitting in a park fountain with his parents. The days were endless back then, but the memories from that time are fuzzy and hard to recall.


The chorus becomes a refrain, with the lyrics expressing the singer's frustration over his inability to hold onto memories. He wishes he could remember everything, but his selective memory won't let him. The final verse continues the theme of lost memories, as the singer reflects on a woman who used to be a part of his life - he can't remember what went wrong, but he does remember that they laughed a lot.


Line by Line Meaning

If I lay my head down
When I try to relax and sleep


I will see you in my dream
I see an image in my mind of you appearing in my sleep


Wearing that polka dot dress
You are clothed in a dress covered with a pattern of round spots


And sitting by the stream
You are situated beside a small watercourse


Leaning in to hear you
I move closer to you to listen more carefully


You will whisper in my ear
You communicate in a hushed tone directly into my ear


And everything I need to know
I will learn every important detail


I finally hear
I comprehend everything you are saying


I wish I could remember
I desire to recall something


But my selective memory
My memory process that chooses to preserve some experiences and forget others


Won't let me
Is preventing me from remembering


When I was a baby we would
When I was an infant, it was our custom to


Go out to the park
Visit an outdoor area designated for recreation and relaxation


And sit out in the fountain
And rest in the water jet feature for decoration


Splashing 'round until it's dark
Playing in the water until the evening falls


The days go on forever
Time elapses slowly and seems endless


When you only know that much
If your understanding of the world around you is limited


And everything you need to know
All the relevant information


Is answered with one touch
Can be obtained by contacting or interacting physically with something or someone




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARK O. EVERETT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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